Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 25 March 2026 [Draft]
25 Mar 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Portfolio Question Time
Adult Disability Payment (Mental and Behavioural Disorders)
A constituent of mine said:
“I’ve been begging repeatedly for months for them to process my ADP claim, only to be ignored, told to contact charities or completely brushed off. We frequently go hungry due to severe financial hardship because I cannot afford to pay for essentials alongside bills, and universal credit alone is not enough to support us.”
When I contacted Social Security Scotland to raise the issue, it could not say when a decision would be made, it would not say how long applications are expected to take and it said that the case was being processed at the usual rate. That is cold comfort to my constituent. Will the cabinet secretary please commit to engaging with my office so that we can get an urgent resolution to this case?
In the same item of business
2. Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any increase in case load for the adult disability payment, particularly in regard to mental an...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville)
SNP
I am proud that the Government is delivering for disabled people by continuing to invest in helping them with the cost of everyday tasks. The causes of incre...
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
I declare an interest as a practising national health service general practitioner.The adult disability payment case load is growing at an astounding rate, w...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I am sure that, as a practising GP, Dr Gulhane is aware that fit notes are not used in relation to adult disability payment; that is an entirely different pa...
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
A constituent of mine said:“I’ve been begging repeatedly for months for them to process my ADP claim, only to be ignored, told to contact charities or comple...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I would be delighted to do so, but the member will have to be exceptionally quick in progressing the matter, as she will be aware that the pre-election perio...
Marie McNair (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, am proud that the Scottish National Party Government continues to strengthen social security support and maximise incomes for our most vulnerable. Th...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
The Institute for Public Policy Research Scotland’s recent work on the issue is exceptionally important. During a recent visit to Glasgow to launch the anti-...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Ind)
Ind
Does the cabinet secretary agree that ADP helps people to get into and stay in employment? If ADP is cut, more people in Scotland will have to claim other be...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
This will probably be the last time that I will have the opportunity—at least in the chamber—to thank Jeremy Balfour for the work that we have undertaken tog...